Pike - Pickerel Hybrid?

[callduckfarm]

We caught this fish on Conesus Lake this morning.
It has markings that are not quite normal for a pike.
Was wondering if it is a cross from a pike/pickerel mating.

[NatefishNY]

looks to be a pike, dont think ive ever heard of the 2 cross breeding

[Brower07]

call me crazy but it looks more like a tiger musky than a pike/pick

[PERCHKILLER30]

ur crazy tigers have red under fins and more stripped

[NatefishNY]

call me crazy but it looks more like a tiger musky than a pike/pick

def. not a tiger, i have caught pike that have had a unique look to em... i have also seen blueish silver pike, anyone ever see one?

[callduckfarm]

Last spring there were some tiger muskies hanging out with the spawning pike in the creek.
I know they are supposed to be sterile, but could it be a tiger muskie/pike cross?

[fingerlaker]

Very pronounced vermiculations...looks like a pike/lake trout hybrid  LOL       gorgeous fish though...nice markings!!!

[waldojigger]

there are a few different pickeral around grass picks chain picks and at least 2 or three more that i have heard of or read about i would say it is some type of pickeral just not sure which one

[NatefishNY]

dont know how to make a link but theres a pic of a pike in the Northern Pike forum on page 3 that reads odd pike. Interesting markings on that one as well as this one, i def. think its a pike with cool markings on it... nice catch

[flags a flyin]

there are a few different pickeral around grass picks chain picks and at least 2 or three more that i have heard of or read about i would say it is some type of pickeral just not sure which one

Pickeral will have a black bar under their eye (all essocid's have a bar when they are juvinile's, but pike and musky loose them).  Adult grass pickerel max out at 14", redfin pickerel are not that common in NYS.  They are here, but not very common (Mohawk and Hudson drainages).  Your most likely to see chain's.  That fish is a northern in my mind.  The best way to tell the difference in essocid's is the scale patterns on the cheek and operculum.  Musky = scales on upper half of cheek and operculum; Pike = cheek fully scaled, operculum top half scaled; Pickerel = cheek and operculum fully scaled

[33Canuck]

Definetely some cool colorations on that bad boy.  Nice catch for sure.

[MXFISHER656]

def. not a tiger, i have caught pike that have had a unique look to em... i have also seen blueish silver pike, anyone ever see one?

You mean like this?

[buckclub]

I have read that there is an extreemly small population of tigers that can reproduce, and they are not all sterile.   anyone ever read or hear about this?

[Ice Shark]

You mean like this?

Pretty Cool looking Pike!

[ALLEGANYCOD]

Looks like a tiger muskie cross gone bad! Good looking fish, Tiger muskie will try to spawn, but usually they are unsuccessful.

[nypike]

def. not a tiger, i have caught pike that have had a unique look to em... i have also seen blueish silver pike, anyone ever see one?

yup, we call them great northerns around here.

[NatefishNY]

yup, we call them great northerns around here.

I want a great northern for my wall, i have a buddy who caught one in canada that was probably 30 inches and was really blue, awesome looking fish, ill try and get the pic to post...

P.S. - beautiful fish mxfisher656, my buddies looks a little more blue but thats what im talking about, i want one thats 40+inches and blue

[MXFISHER656]

I want a great northern for my wall, i have a buddy who caught one in canada that was probably 30 inches and was really blue, awesome looking fish, ill try and get the pic to post...

P.S. - beautiful fish mxfisher656, my buddies looks a little more blue but thats what im talking about, i want one thats 40+inches and blue

I saw two caught that year out of a small lake. The one you see and one other one that was hooked deep. The guy who caugth said he was thinking of mounting it. It was in the 32" range. I think if I had caught either of them I would have considered it. The pics look good, but having seen them in person, wow....They look really cool.

[ConesusPikeCatcher]

There arnt any pickerel in conesus.....i would say its a pike that just has some werid genetics that happen to change its coloration. Cool looking fish tho.

[bigredonice]

 its just a color variation of small pike where the vermiculations on the back extend down the sides, they grow out of it pretty quickly, and the lines turn into seperate spots.

here's a great example of a young of the year pike with the vermiculations all over

[Bottomfeeder88]

How long was it?

[callduckfarm]

How long was it?

It was just a little guy, about 18" long.
We've caught little ones before, but they never had markings like that.

[BassInTheGrass]

looks like his spots just havent seperated yet. ive caught some in braddocks bay that have that color to them. id post a pic of some but dont feel like the hassle. the shallow water makes them turn colors like that i think. was he caught shallow?

[GAMBELL]

Looks kind of like the pike in this topic http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=81542.0

[greg42]

Very cool fish. What did it taste like?

[cnypanfisher]

They were doing those pike/musky hybrids here in Constantia before at the walleye hatchery, they called them norlunge or something like that. When they came back they looked kinda blue in the water. I remember as a kid trying to catch 1, buy they were too smart for the rapala. They got pretty big then, but I haven't seen one since. I think i'll ask the locals at the hatchery if they still do that stuff.

cny

[NatefishNY]

They were doing those pike/musky hybrids here in Constantia before at the walleye hatchery, they called them norlunge or something like that. When they came back they looked kinda blue in the water. I remember as a kid trying to catch 1, buy they were too smart for the rapala. They got pretty big then, but I haven't seen one since. I think i'll ask the locals at the hatchery if they still do that stuff.

cny

thats very interesting, i would like to know if they still have hybrids like that, if you hear any info on it please post it

[mealworm]

I have read that there is an extreemly small population of tigers that can reproduce, and they are not all sterile.   anyone ever read or hear about this?

i'v heard that some tigers are starting to breed theres a lake they use to stock tigers stopped stocking a few yrs ago and since i heard people catching small ones 6''or7'' i guess nature will always find a way

[KeukaZ71]

Pickeral will have a black bar under their eye (all essocid's have a bar when they are juvinile's, but pike and musky loose them).  Adult grass pickerel max out at 14", redfin pickerel are not that common in NYS.  They are here, but not very common (Mohawk and Hudson drainages).  Your most likely to see chain's.  That fish is a northern in my mind.  The best way to tell the difference in essocid's is the scale patterns on the cheek and operculum.  Musky = scales on upper half of cheek and operculum; Pike = cheek fully scaled, operculum top half scaled; Pickerel = cheek and operculum fully scaled

i addition to looking at the scales, you can look at the mandibular pores on either side underneath the lower jaw:

Pickerel = 4
Northern = 5
Musky = 6-9

[Captain1978]

Cool looking fish!  We all have our opinions but none of us truly know.  I like hearing peoples opinions tho. Mine would be a Pike with very cool markings. But who am I to say.  This is the first I have heard of counting the pores tho. Interesting. A professional opinion would be great!